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Exterior Renovating

front facade upgrade

2 years ago

Hi Guys, we are looking at doing a Reno on our front facade as it is out dated and needs more depth. However we are struggling to picture what it could look like or what to use to bring it up
To scratch. Any ideas?

Comments (4)

me me
2 years ago
I think the house is fine; it's the driveway that needs an update. It looks like the only way for visitors to enter is to climb the driveway using the metal handrails. I would look at putting in a dedicated entry.
User
2 years ago
Geez I'm thick -- I looked at the picture , and thought the white rails were a frame for the roses !

I'm sort of with me me -- its the details that let the place down . Almost all the plants are what would have been in fashion 60 years ago , and whatever the railing is for , by painting it white it actually detracts from anything positive .

Although minor , things like the gas meter or letterbox or whatever that box is at the entrance , painted in a different shade to the main brick of the house , just grates . Go and get 3 or 4 test pots , and although the bricks are a mottled effect , you'll get pretty close to the predominant brown -- the red tone of that cover is pointless IMO .

If it does need steps ,then do them up through the existing garden , but basically I'd redo most of the garden .

Personally I think the white on the timber is looking too bright , but although charcoal is trendy , I don't think the brick is red enough to pull that off , and I dislike buttery cream , so a very light steel blue tone on the timber including the barge boards and garage door , against the bricks , would be my 'updated' preference , BUT do the garden first IMO .
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Thanks for these fabulous comments! After reading them all we think we will definitely leave the red brick and replace the red wood with monument. We will add eaves across the front and will get a price on roof restoration with paint to match monument compared to reroofing in monument. Adding a double skillion carport to the front is a great idea too. We will definitely replace concrete with new as its old and cracked. The drive will have to curve in due to the water metre location right next to the letter box and a cost of over $2000 to move it. The garden definitely needs an upgrade. We have done a little bit out the front, not a great photo but I've attached a more recent one, we are thinking we will leave the bigger trees in this photos and add kangaroo paws through out. Front has been neglected a bit due to other renovations out the back. Nearly time to attack the front! Thanks again, we really appreciate all your thoughts! I'll post some photos once we get underway. I've added some of what we did out the back with the original 70's look we had. Been fun and hard work. All the work was done by ourselves and our sons.
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This will be an exciting challenge! How about starting with which style you would like. Hop onto google and search around before and after pictures that might help you decide on a particular look you wish to achieve. Pinterest has ideas too, and just type in “house facades before and after”. Do you want modern, or beach or Hamptons? Etc. The style should reflect your internal decor style for flow and a bit of harmony. Once you have decided on style, examine which aspects of the current facade you would like to enhance and that definitely don’t work. I would enrol an architect or exterior design consultant to discuss these aspects and perhaps get ideas. Start by considering a focal point - you lack this in your current facade. Could be an entrance, a large window, veranda etc and something that provides depth to the facade. Consider balance and symmetry: you have large garage doors that would benefit from something that balances that. First impressions from me are that the windows are small and shuttered: these might be within budget to change. The house facade is very flat: perhaps features such as a porch addition might break that up. There is no entrance that invites you in and as such it looks shut up. Could you work in a welcoming entrance here? Paint would work wonders and if rendering is too expensive, a good paint job could transform the look. Timber cladding adds interest, a little warmth to a cold brick facade, and charm. Would that fit with the style you are aiming for? It’s a big job but simple tweaks could transform this. Best of luck
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Julie Herbert
2 years ago
Great ideas from me me and pottsy, yes it needs a stairway to help visitors navigate to your entrance and make it easier to climb driveway, the garden does need updating to bring the house which is lovely into a more modern look, look at what you can save as some of your plants are fine, add more structural foliage, painting the trims in a darker colour would instantly change the look, go for a dark grey tone, could look fabulous.
User
2 years ago
Actually , here's a 'brave' thought -- get 8 or 10 40mm x 40mm battens ( high density , champferred edges ) , stain them a bluey charcoal or even a cedar red , and put them vertically up the double windows to the middle of the roof peak -- cut them the same length and even slope as the edge of the roof . That will look way more modern , but also tone down the white of the rest of the trim , and it would also work if you changed the trim to a light steely blue too .

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